An Introduction to Korean Buddhist Philosophy

Jin. Y. Park

College students interested in Korean Philosophy

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Humanities

고급

The course explores Korean Buddhist philosophy, covering materials from the beginning of the tradition in the 4th and 5th centuries through the 21st century.

1. Students will gain a basic understanding of Buddhist concepts such as ‘Karma’.

2. Students will be introduced to perennial questions through a Buddhist lens.

3. Students will learn about key Korean Buddhist figures in the distant past and from modern times.

1주차

The Self and Others in Uisang’s Hwaeom Buddhism

1. Intimacy and Integrity Models

2. Four Foundational Buddhist Doctrines

3. One and Many

4. Buddhist Logic

5. The Named and the Nameless

2주차

Wonhyo: The Self and the Limits of the Human Mind

1. Wonhyo-Yogācāra Buddhism

2. Wonhyo-Projection Only

3. Wonhyo-Womb of Tathāgata

4. Wonhyo-Two Hindrances

5. Wonhyo—Locus of Salvific Power and Buddhist Practice

3주차

Meditation and Self-Transformation: Jinul’s Seon Buddhism

1. Bodhidharma and Bodhidharma’s Disciples

2. Mind is the Buddha

3. Gongan and Defamilarization

4. Hwadu Meditation: Live Words and Dead Words

5. Hwadu Meditation and Self Transformation

6. Hwadu Meditation: Liberation from Thinking

4주차

Buddhism and Language

1. Buddhism and Language

2. Seon Buddhism and Language

3. Seon Buddhism and Language of Participation

4. Language, Thinking, and Power

5. Nothingness, Openness of Being, and the Recovery of the Self

5주차

Envisioning Buddhist Ethics

1. Western Ethical Theories

2. Foundations of Buddhist Ethics

3. Ethics and Rules – Wonhyo’s Guide to the Meaning of Buddhist Precepts

4. Precepts and Social Rules

5. Goal-Oriented Versus Process-Oriented Ethics

6. Buddhist Wisdom and Ethics

7. Bodhisattva Path and Ethics of Tension

6주차

Buddhism and Modernity: Baek Seonguk and Intercultural Philosophy

1. The Birth of Vocabularies

2. The Life

3. Buddhism as a Philosophy

4. The Subject and Object in Buddhism

5. Buddhist logic and social philosophy

7주차

Buddhism and Gender–Kim Iryeop

1. Kim Iryeop and New Women

2. Turning-New Individualism and Religious Worldview

3. Buddhist self and the Great Self

4. Culture, creativity, and life

5. Re-envisioning Christianity, Life, and Love

8주차

Buddhism and Social Engagement

1. Manhae-life and activities

2. Manhae’s Proposal for Buddhist Social Engagement

3. Manhae’s Buddhist social reform and its impact

4. Minjung Buddhism Background

5. Mingjung Buddhist Philosophy

9주차

Buddhism, Institution, and Legitimacy

1. Violence of the Nation-State and Korean Buddhism

2. State Violence and Collective Karma

3. Reassessing Buddhist Social Engagement

4. Non-Duality and State Violence

5. Institutionality of Thought Tradition

6. Dharma Lineage, Gender, and the Violence of Institution

10주차

Buddhist Existentialism

1. Gyeongheo Seongu: Life

2. Geyongheo’s Buddhist Thoughts

3. Existential Dimensions of Korean Buddhism

4. Life and Practice of Seon Master Hyeam

5. Existentialism and Freedom

6. Freedom, Philosophy, and Buddhist Practice